


There is a soulmate for everyone

by furiousflamewolf



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Bullying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Multi, Pre-Relationship, Self-Hatred, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Suicidal Thoughts, Trust Issues, Verbal Abuse, Xenophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 01:58:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15809010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/furiousflamewolf/pseuds/furiousflamewolf
Summary: Gary didn´t have any markings on his body. They hadn´t shown up when he had been 4 years old. That´s when his life went downhill.





	There is a soulmate for everyone

**Author's Note:**

> Song borrowed from: Natasha Bedingfield.

Gary Cahill had been just 4 years young when his entire life basically was decided for him. His mother used to tell him there would be a soulmate waiting for him someday. At 4 years old everyone would get a mark on their body. Or multiple marks. Those were commonly on the wrist. But could also appear on every other part of the body. Some were black. Some were colored. Some were small and barely visible. Some stretched over a whole body part. It always depened on the person. And the person they were linked with. The marks usually matched when the soulmate had been finally found. The mark would flare upon touch. It was different for everyone. To some it was a pleasent ache. To others a burning sensation that brought them to their knees. Of course every soulmate had to accept the other for the bond to solidify. To bond them for life. Most were not crazy to reject their soulmate. If they found them that is. There were a lot who didn´t find their soulmate. The marks mocking their existence. Laughing at them. That´s why some covered their marks. If it was located on the wrist or other visible part of their body. 

Gary Cahill had been up until midnight. He would turn 4 then. Gary was giddy with excitement. He would get his marks soon. His mother had explained to him that it was a beautiful sensation. His parents were soulmates. Gary was jumping up and down there were 3 minutes on the clock. His parents had let him stay up late. Just for this occasion. The boy was looking at his wrists. A smile stretched arcoss his small face. His mother looking own at him lovingly. He jumped into her arms. She kissed his forhead. Before putting him down so that Gary could run around in circles. A minute was on the clock. Gary halted and looked at the needle of the clock. It seemed as if it was passing down so slowly. Then it finally passed the number twelve. Gary rose his arms in excitement. He felt nothing however. He frowned and looked at his wrists confused. Going up to his mother and showing her his wrists. His mother took of his shirt. Gary´s small arms still hanging in the air. He turned around as his mother inspected his body. Maybe the mark on a non visible part of his body. It wasn´t uncommon. However there was nothing. His mother had checked his whole body. Nothing. There was no mark. Gary looked at his mother with big eyes. Big fat ugly tears falling from his eyes. 

His mother scooped him up in her arms. Hugging him to her chest. Rocking him back and forth as the little boy cried in her chest. She assured him even if he wouldn´t have a mark there would be someone out there waiting for him. There were plenty of people who were unmarked and were happy. Maybe he was just a late bloomer and his marks would show themselves later in his life. Everything was possible. No one knew what the universe had in store for them. His mother put him to bed. Tucking him in. Running a hand through his brown hair. Kissing his head. Assuring him everything would be ok. Gary believed her. She was his mother afterall. Of course she was right. The little boy fell asleep. Gary woke up in the middle of the night. Thirsty, his throat was dry. He had tried no to cry. Carefully he opened his bedroom door to sneak out. Downstairs to the kitchen. Voices made him stop in his tracks. His parents were talking. The light in the living room was switched on. He had to pass it to go to the kitchen. Carefully he went down the stairs. He could hear his mothers voice. "I don´t know what we should do dear. He has no markings. People are going to make fun of him. Bully him. They are going to make fun of us. Having a son without markings is like being the scum of the earth. Maybe we can give him away. I don´t want him dear. He is a monster. He should have been our ticket out. Out of this mess. He is nothing."

Gary had clamped his mouth shut. Trying not to make a sound. Trying not to cry. Numbly he went to his bed and sat down. Tears streaming down his face. His parents didn´t love him. Maybe everything was just a bad dream and he was still sleeping. Right ?? Gary curled around himself. His sobs muffled by his pillow. His eyes fixed on his wrists. He was a monster. He was one of those creatures that hid under beds and scared people. Gary looked at his wrists again. Maybe if he scratched at them the marks would appear. He mused at the thought. His fingernails scrapping against the skin. Lightly at first. There was nothing. Gary made an unhappy face. He scratched harder. And harder. And harder. Until his wrists were bleeding. His own flesh being stuck under his fingernails. It burned. Gary cried. His sheets were stained with his blood. It burned so badly. But there were no marks. There was nothing. Gary cried until he fell asleep. His mother woke him in the morning. Gasping at the blood. She disinfected the wounds and wrapped them in clean bandages. Demanding what had happened. Her voice wasn´t warm anymore. Gary´s hands shook. He just told her had, had an itch. It hadn´t stopped all night. She unwrapped the bandages again. Checking for any mark. When she found none she sighed unhappily and wrapped the wrists up again.

His mother didn´t look at him anymore. She didn´t smile at him. His father treated him as if he was air. No words of love or comfort anymore. Gary blamed himself. He was stupid for no having any marks. He had heard his parents say that no one could love him. If his own parents didn´t love him there would be no one in this world that would. Gary had started to believe their words. A day before starting elementary school his parents sat him down. Gary avoided their gazes. Looking at his feet or hands. His parents explained to him that he would need to wear tape around his wrists. So no one would see he had no marks. People would bully him. Teachers and kids alike. It was for his own protection they said. Gary just nodded. Maybe if he did that his parents would love him again. It was worth a try. He promised himself to be successful. Maybe his parents would love him again. The first day of school was uneventful. Gary didn´t talk to anyone. They would make fun of him. Judge him. Gary kept his head low. He heard kids, boys and girls, alike brag about their marks. Gary felt sick. He rushed to the toilet and threw up. His head was swimming. He didn´t want to be here anymore. 

His parents forced him to go to school. Gary hated it. He hated everything and everyone. No one talked to him. He was weird. The plan had been to mingle with the people. They saw his taped wrists. Mocking him. Demanding from him to show his mark. He had none. Gary was terrifed. Boys had cornered him once when he had wanted to go to the bathroom. Demanding to see his marks. Gary had shook his head and had gripped his backpack so tight his knuckles turned white. The boys and then the girls spew out insults at him. Gary ran home that day. Aching for his mother´s touch. Crying. Telling her he didn´t want to go to that school anymore. The kids were mean. His parents forced him. He came home with banana peels in his jacket and disgusting cafeteria food in his backpack. His parents didn´t budge. He had seen some kids play football. He asked his parents. After a week they agreed. He could go play football. Gary knew they didn´t want him around. It would be an escape for him too. He started playing for a small club in his neighborhood. AFC Dronfield. It was fun.

Gary always looked forward to that. It was so much fun. No one asked him about any marks. His coach told him he was good. Really good. Gary had beamed. Running home telling his parents. They didn´t care. Didn´t listen to him. Gary didn´t care. Since the day he hadn´t gotten his marks playing for AFC Dronfield made him happy. The tape and the ball became his best friends. It became a routine to tape his wrists. That´s what he did first thing in the morning. Sometimes he thought of scratching his wrists open again maybe the marks would flare. He hoped. His parents were cold and distant. They came to his games. Gary knew it was just for show. When he had been 14 years old he was scouted by Aston Villa. His parents telling his coach how proud they were. Hugging him. Gary allowed himself to enjoy the human touch. Even though it was fake. Even though it was brief. Maybe he was doing something right. Maybe his parents would love him again ?? After having played for Aston Villa in his junior time he was accepted into the professional club at age 19.

Gary trained hard. Stayed longer. He didn´t want to go back to his parents. Now they talked to him. Acted as if nothing had ever happend. Pretended that the last 15 years hadn´t been hell for a boy that had been only 4 years old. Gary ignored it. He was happy to play. So incredibly happy. People told him he was a good defender. Aston Villa loaned him to to Burnley for a year. To gain experience. Gary didn´t care. As long as he was far away from his parents. It didn´t matter. He just wanted to play. His mark never showed up. Gary didn´t care. Not anymore. It didn´t matter to him. Football made him happy. He didn´t need a soulmate. Even if he found them, they would reject him. His mother´s words ghosting through his mind. Right he was a monster. No one could love him. 2 years later he was loaned to Sheffield United. Going back home. His parents sozialised with him. Forced him to go out with women. Gary wasn´t interested. He still did it. The back of his mind still grasping some last straws of home. Maybe his parents would love him. Maybe. He went on to play for the Bolton Wanderers in 2008. His parents complaining that his club wasn´t making enough money. He wasn´t making enough money. Calling him useless.

Gary started going out with women. He knew he shouldn´t try to force his own happiness. He treated the women with respect but he never managed to make it last. Then in 2012 finally Chelsea bought him. Gary had been overjoyed. The blues were an incredible team. He was proud to play for them. His parents finally praising him. He scored the 1:0 against Barcelona in the semi-finals. One of his most important goals. His parents came to the stadium to watch him play. Then he injured himself. And with the injury came the self-hate again. He thought about scratching his wrists open again. The praise from his parents became insults and slurs. Gary was tired. He thought about ending it all. Like he had thought about it when he had only been a boy. Chelsea won the champions league that year. Gary played full 120 minutes. He was at the peak of his career. He had been nominated into the english national team 2 years prior. He should be happy right ?? He was. But the happiness lasted for a short period of time. Everyone of his teammates had a mark somewhere on their body. Gary was terrified. He always made sure not to let anyone too close. It reminded him of his school time. He was really having a good time here. He didn´t want to screw it up.

That season a lot of new players joined them. His parents always complained about that. Foreigners coming to their beautiful country and polluting it. Comparing living people to dust or just dirt. As if foreigners were just not fit to live in Great Britain. Corrupted the beautiful city. Gary had always hated that. Let people live. It was boring playing with people from the same country. That´s why they had the national team. A spaniard greeted him. His name was Azpilicueta. He had a friendly smile. Offering him his hand to shake. Gary shook it with his own gloved hand. He had made it a habit to always wear gloves when playing. Be it in summer or winter. He and Azpilicueta played alongside Brana and Terry. Eden Hazard their belgian striker wasn´t bad either. César always sat with Hazard. Gary had seen their marks. They were soulmates. Not that Gary was jealous. He had seen other players on the team with soul marks. He shrugged it off. Since they were both defenders, César would try to initiate a conversation. Gary really appreciated the offer. The Spaniard was really friendly. It was nice talking to him. Hazard on the other hand was more reserved. Both of them could communicate in french with eachother. Although they made the effort to try and speak english.

For the next few years Gary grew closer to this team. He enjoyed defending with someone like John Terry it was an honour for him. Him and César got along incredibly well. Football was fun. Until one day his parents decided to ruin everything by showing up at one of his training sessions. Grabbing him by the arm so no one would hear. They wanted to marry him off to a wealthy family. But this meant no football anymore. Gary refused. His mother started calling him ungrateful. Stating they were doing it for his happiness. Gary left them standing there. Returning to the team with a light jog. Tears pricking in his eyes. His parents were doing it for him, they were doing this for themselves. For money. César approached him, Eden right behind him. Asking if he was ok. Gary forced a smile and reassumed training. Stretching his legs. However the Spaniard was adamant and didn´t leave him alone. Gaz should have been thankful for the company. The demons in his head had intensified. He caught himself looking at the scars on his wrist way too much. Maybe he should just end this. Claw them open. So that he bled out. Would his parents miss him ?? Probably not. He didn´t even have a soulmate. No one would miss him.

Gary cried bitterly at the thought one night when staying at a hotel. They would play against Everton tomorrow. His head was pounding. He got up and went downstairs for a glass of water. He could not afford to have a headache before an important match. The ice cool water soothed him. When he turned around Eden Hazard was behind him. Gary nearly let the bottle fall. Thank god they were made out of plastic or he would have woken the whole hotel. Gary sighed. Eden asked him if he wanted to sit with them. A confused look was thrown in the Belgians reaction. Hazard pointed at a table. Azpilicueta looked up and waved at them. Gary shrugged. It couldn´t hurt could it. Since the three of them weren´t sleeping anyway. Gary had been appointed vice-captain he should have shooed his teammates to bed and not join them. He really wasn´t good at his job was he ?? Chatting with his teammates proved to be a good idea. Gary relaxed. The demons of his mind at bay for now. Azpi was talking about Spain. Gary had never been to Spain. He had been at Ibiza or for the champions league but never had he gone to Spain for holidays. Maybe he was becoming as xenophobic as his parents. It was a nightmare. Azpi startled him by nearly touching his untaped wrist. As if he had burned himself Gary pulled it up to his chest. His eyes wide in fear. Both Eden and Azpi looked at eachother confused. Gary excused himself, bid his teammates goodnight and nearly stumbled on the stairs to his room. 

He hadn´t slept at all that night. His whole body feeling groggy. Gary made sure to tape his wrists before going downstairs to breakfast. He had prevented a desaster this morning. Azpi waved at him again but Gary went to sit with David sipping on his orange juice uninterested. His head was pounding. He had barely slept. He would come to regret it later. Gary had tried to defend a ball when a player from the other team slammed into him. His head was hit forcefully. An elbow collided with his face. Gary fell to the floor with a thud. Holding his face in agony. He rolled around the grass. There were voices shouting. His own teammates shouting angrily. Everything was swimming. He was seeing stars before his eyes. Confused he looked at his hand. It was stained crimson. There was blood ?? His brow creased confused. With a heavy head Gary was on all fours. Blood dripping down his chin and onto the grass beneath him. Staining it crimson. Someone had grabbed his wrist. Gary tried to snatch it away. Snarling. Azpi looked at him worriedly. Garys blood had seeped into his tape. Effectively reducing the glue and mixing it with his sweat. César had tried to help him up by grabbing his wrist. There was a burning sensation when the Spaniard had touched him. It felt like something was burning his skin of. It made him feel lightheaded. He probably had a concussion too. He howled in pain. His wrist burned. He just wanted to sleep. Eden had touched his other wrist but there was no burning just a pleasant ache. 

Gary woke up in the hospital. He had indeed suffered a concussion and a broken nose. Wincing he sat up. He wasn´t alone. César was asleep in the chair next to his bed. The Spaniards head pillowed on his arms. He was snoozing softly. The door to his room was opened. Eden came in with his arms full. There was chocolate and chips and gummy bears in his arms. And drinks. Gary rose his eyebrows in confusion. What was going on ?? Did they have a sleepover party while he had been unconcious ?? Eden smiled at him. He had never seen such a smile from the Belgian. César was shaken awake. The Spaniard looking around confused. Before he yawned and stretched. The sleeves of his hoodie going up. There were marks on each of his wrist. That hadn´t been there before. Gary was sure the Spaniard had only had one. Maybe he was dreaming. A bottle of water was thrown in Gary´s lap. Making him look up. Eden had his sleeves rolled up. On his wrists there were two marks too. Gary didn´t understand. If they had found their second soulmate why were they here with him. On César´s left wrist there was a fleur de lis a rosary wrapped around it. It was colored in black. On his right there was a crowned white rose. It was colored. He saw the same mark on Edens right wrist. A crowned white rose in color. The he remembered. His wrist had burned. The tape was off. Garys breath hitched. The black fleur de lis a rosary wrapped around ir was on his left wrist. He looked between his teammates confused. He looked at the other wrist. A crowned white lion was on Edens wrist and on his. 

Gary was sure he had fainted when he woke up again. Eden and César looking at him worriedly. They had gotten a doctor. His nose was indeed broken. Gary looked at his wirsts again. It couldn´t be. He didn´t have any soulmates. His marks hadn´t appeared at the age of 4. Was this some kind of cruel trick. Did his teamates tattoo those on his wrists while he had been unconcious ?? Gary didn´t know what to believe anymore. His wrists burned uncomfortably. "Gary are you ok ??" Gary felt his chest constrict. This couldn´t be. His wrists flared when both César and Eden touched him. This time it was a pleasant ache. Gary sighed. Hiding his face in his hands. César was rubbing at the mark absently. Neither of them spoke. The only noise that could be heard was Eden munching on some chips. His whole arm in the bag as he shoved the potatos in his mouth. César shook his head at him. "We are your soulmates." Gary froze. He shook his head. "No you aren´t I don´t have soulmates my marks didn´t appear when I was 4. Why are you torturing me ?? Do you enjoy toying with my feelings ??" Gary was sobbing now. César and Eden looked at eachother. Forehead creased in worry. "You don´t have to accept us if you don´t want to", César´s voice was kind. So kind. It warmed Gary´s heart. He sighed softly. "This is real ??" Eden cocked his head. "Why wouldn´t it be ??" That´s when Gary cries. His shoulders shaking from the sobs that escape his mouth. His soulmates are rubbing his back softly. "You don´t have to accept us we would understand." César´s voice is kind as ever. 

All three of them spend the day at the hospital. Keeping Gary company. Who was crying for hours. Still in disbelief. Tears running down his face. Gary tells them yes. He would be fool not to say yes. Eden narrows his eyes. Grabbing one of his wrists. "This has to stop", he says softly rubbing against the scars on Gary´s wrist. He nods. Whatever it took. He would do anything. César chirps in. "We can try you know having a relationship before you accept us. It´s a lifelong commitment." Gary nods gratefully. He would like that. He says yes to trying. His heart feeling lighter than it had ever done. His soulmates enveloped him in a hug. His soulmates, he tought. And for the first time since he had been 4 Gary was able to breathe.


End file.
